SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017

Saving fingers was my biggest battle: Kvitova

PARIS: Petra Kvitova will return to at the a sweltering Roland Garros yesterday. She still car- titles. “I knew this day would come but sometimes having already won her biggest bat- ries the physical and mental scars, making her when I was watching tennis on TV, I didn’t really tle-saving the fingers so badly damaged fighting off increasingly wary of the people around her. feel great. I felt like the tennis was taken away from a knife-wielding burglar. Two-time Wimbledon “I didn’t sleep well the days after. I don’t really me, and it wasn’t my decision. champion Kvitova, 27, a semi-finalist at Roland have nightmares,” she added. “From the beginning “Suddenly I couldn’t do what I love. So I’m hap- Garros in 2012, suffered career-threatening injuries I was really feeling really weird when I went in the py that I can be here.” Kvitova admitted that she is to her left playing hand when she tackled an intrud- city or somewhere. “I was always staring at the guys returning to action around a month earlier than er at her home in the eastern Czech town of and looking to see if there are no strangers there. expected and isn’t expecting to cause a great sen- Prostejov in December. With time, it’s better. But of course I’m more active- sation in the tournament. She described her return The terrifying attack left the popular Kvitova ly watching the people around me.” Kvitova was to Paris as a “last-minute decision”. “I missed the fighting to save her hand and her career. But almost told by her doctors that she may never play tennis court, the fight. Now I can just enjoy everything- six months on, she is ready to return to the sport, again as a result of the attack. sometimes I just stand outside and see the sun claiming that the nightmare incident has left her That was an earth-shattering realization for a and say, Oh, it’s beautiful. “I see different kind of with a fresh perspective on life. “I actually already woman who has made over $22 million, reached things than before.”As 15th seed, Kvitova will face won my biggest fight. I stayed in life and I have all number two in the world and counts the 2011 and Julia Boserup of the United States in the first my fingers,” the 6ft (1.82m) Kvitova told reporters at 2014 Wimbledon crowns amongst her 19 career round. — AFP

A chance phone call led to snaring Agassi

PARIS: Novak Djokovic revealed yesterday that a chance telephone call sparked his deci- sion to hire US legend Andre Agassi as his new coach. World number two Djokovic, who is about to begin the defence of his French Open title, said he originally only sought out Agassi’s contact details so he could thank him for his support as his career threatened to hit the skids earlier this year. Now they have agreed to work together at the French Open on a temporary basis. Djokovic recently split with long time coach Marian Vajda, having also ended a three-year relation- ship with six-time champion Boris Becker at the end of last season “Even, before when I was No. 1 and playing very successfully, winning trophies and in the latest period where I was not as successful and where I received a lot of criticism from many sides, Andre was one PARIS: Defending champions Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Spain’s Garbine Muguruza pose in front of the cups during the draw of the few people that was actually standing on of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium. — AFP my side and supporting me,” said the 30-year- old Djokovic yesterday. “So I appreciate that very much, and I wanted Djokovic, Nadal on French to thank him in person, and over the phone. “It turned out to be a long conversation, and that’s where it all started. At that time, at that point, we both didn’t think about this evolving to Open semi-final collision become a professional relationship, but finally, after a few weeks, it did. It was completely up to PARIS: Defending champion Novak ly-regarded Austrian Thiem for the loss of by his standards with an elbow injury not him.” Agassi, an eight-time major winner at Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were drawn to just one game in the Rome Masters semi- helping his cause. He lost in the third round Roland Garros back in 1999, retired from tennis face each other in a blockbuster French finals last week. in Monte Carlo, made the semis in after the 2006 US Open and has never coached Open semi-final yesterday. Nadal is chasing The 30-year-old Nadal has already Barcelona, was a third-round loser in Madrid professionally before. But Djokovic believes he a 10th title at Roland Garros while second reached the magical 10 titles number this before an opening defeat in Rome to Fabio can learn from the American whose own career seed Djokovic, working with new coach year at the claycourt events in Monte Carlo Fognini. Zverev faces Spanish veteran suffered numerous ups and downs, both on and Andre Agassi, is looking to defend the only and Barcelona. For good measure, he also Fernando Verdasco first up, Thiem tackles off the court. major he still holds. “Rafa is the number one won Madrid for a fifth time, ending a sev- Bernard Tomic of Australia while fellow “That’s one of the things I felt like I needed is favourite,” said Djokovic. en-match losing streak, stretching back ‘NextGen’ star Nick Kyrgios faces Philipp new inspiration, someone that knows exactly World number one Andy Murray is seed- over two years against Djokovic in the Kohlschreiber of Germany. what I’m going through, you know, on the court, ed to face 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka in process. Nadal boasts a sensational career Nishikori, yet to get past the quarter- off the court,” added the world number two. “He the last four. Murray starts against Russia’s record at Roland Garros — 72 wins and just finals in Paris, begins against 21-year-old has been through all these transitions, he has world number 85 Andrey Kuznetsov, two defeats, to Djokovic in 2015 and an Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. In the been in my shoes before playing Grand Slams, Djokovic tackles Spanish clay courter Marcel injury-affected shock loss to Robin women’s draw, top seed Angelique Kerber being the best in the world, and facing all the Granollers while Nadal meets combustible Soderling in 2009. starts against experienced Russian Ekaterina challenges that are present in professional sport.” Frenchman Benoit Paire. Murray could face Makarova in the first round. Kerber is due to Agassi admitted this week that he was at first dangerous Juan Martin del Potro in the third ‘No magic pattern’ face defending champion Garbine reluctant to take on the job as coach but was round. Injury-plagued del Potro, who lost to On clay this year, Djokovic has been on Muguruza of Spain in the semi-finals. eventually persuaded by his wife and fellow for- Murray in the 2016 Olympics final, is playing an upward curve-quarter-finals in Monte “I am super-excited to be here. I am mer tennis legend Steffi Graf. “Novak called me Roland Garros for the first time since 2012. Carlo, semi-finals in Madrid and a runners- preparing the best I can but there is no mag- about three weeks ago and I said no at the start,” If the seedings work out, 2016 runner-up up spot in Rome where he was comprehen- ic pattern,” said Muguruza who comes into said 47-year-old Agassi. “But Steffi said ‘you Murray, who is reportedly suffering from an sively demolished by Alexander Zverev. “It the tournament having suffered a neck should go, you will love it’. We had organized a illness, would face Japan’s Kei Nishikori in was one of my last dreams in terms of tour- injury in Rome last week. Muguruza has a family trip during Roland Garros anyway which the last eight. The other quarter-finals would naments that I wanted to win here,” said tough opener against former champion was planned for a long time. “So I hope to see see Wawrinka meet 2014 US Open champi- Djokovic at the draw yesterday. “It was miss- Francesca Schiavone. Second seed Karolina one or two of Novak’s matches and try to bring on Marin Cilic, Nadal would meet Canada’s ing from my list so I ticked it off and got the Plisova was drawn to face 2014 runner-up to him what I can because even a small remark Milos Raonic while Djokovic could take on full set of Grand Slams.” Simona Halep in the semi-finals but will start can do a lot.” — AFP Dominic Thiem. Djokovic demolished high- Murray has endured a wretched season against Zheng Saisai of China. — AFP